OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models CHAMPION SENIOR - Kick-Start Model

Hello ODK History Lovers

A Champion Senior lawnmower appeared at auction in October, 2016.
Advertised as a 'Collectible mower', the description told a remarkable story:-



DESCRIPTION
"This refurbished Champion Senior mower circa 1950s was a prototype intended
to have a foot pedal rope start. The disc was adapted to take a spring arrange-
ment and the Villiers engine (with a solid polished bronze flywheel) was raised
on stainless spacers to accommodate a curious rope system via a deck mounted
pulley (see pic). The system never worked and the project was dropped. The
unit was then sold as a factory second and was used as a conventional mower until
around 2000. It is believed to be the only prototype of the project ever made."

The accompanying photos showed three of the four special features, a base-
mounted pulley on the LH side, a crankcase raised by spacers, and a foldable
handle. The fourth feature, a 'special' blade holder was not included in the
auction photos.




When I saw these pictures I immediately recognised the significance.
Another machine with similar features had been advertised back in 2012!



If the mowers were not one and the same, then this indicated something far from
that of a a prototype ... that never went into production. This was a production machine
... but missing 'things'.

I know something else from research conducted years' ago - Champion made a
Senior Kick-Start model from late 1957. Definitely a production model, but none
have been recorded intact - in a complete configuration.

It was discussion and debate on the Vintage Mowers website that prompted me to do
more work on this enigmatic machine. What I found both confirmed and surprised.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - The Champion Senior Kick-Start
I have clear evidence that a Champion Senior Kick-Start was made from
late 1957, and the last records I have of this model are from early 1960.
The frustrating thing is the lack of resolution in the photos and
illustrations!

Note in this November, 1957 advertisement the rear-mounted kick-starter
(unlike the side mounted Scott Bonnar). Also note the new style wheels ...
plastic and rubber semi-pneumatics with self-lubricating plastic bushes
replaced the patented 'Ever-Lube' steel wheels. Yes, that's a female
model's foot and shoe. Yes, thanks, I know it looks like an animal trotter ...



The Senior Model with kick-starter was, of course, an option.
At about 5 pounds dearer than the lanyard start version of the Senior,
this would have been clearly much less popular. I would also point out
that this clever system had a back-up in the design - the lanyard start
pulley was retained!

That the kick-start went in to production should not be questioned.
There is ample evidence that it was somewhat widely advertised in NSW:-



The surprising thing - for me at least - is that none seem to have been
recorded by modern collectors. I say this because a Champion Factory
advertisement from late 1958 claims that there were 'thousands of
satisfied users'. Perhaps that was marketing puffery - referring to
thousands of satisfied Champion lawnmower users (rather than kick-start
users). We don't know.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART THREE - PATENT
In the 1950s kick starts were used on many Australian and imported reel mowers.
The advantages of kick start systems were taken up by a few Australian rotary
mower makers. Here I specifically refer to the Austral-Villiers Apatamatic,
the Scott Bonnar Model 22 Spincut and the small Atom Mofast.

These designs were complex (Adaptamatic) and awkward (Spincut). A more
elegant solution was patented by Champion Mowers - one that did not involve
ratchets, racks and segments, etc., acting on the flywheel. Instead, a clever
system acting on the blade holder disc engaged the spring mechanism located
directly above it. This was energised by a kick pedal located at the rear.
The patent was written in broad terms to accommodate a side-mounted pulley as
seen on the auction machines.



It was an exciting discovery ... to find Patent 30118, lodged in August, 1957.
The patent explained the function of the pulley I saw in the auction pictures.
The reading of the patent explained much more ...

PART FOUR - Under Base
A critical part that does survive is part of the starting mechanism.
This is clearly shown in the patent as both the blade holder and the
engaging pawl carrier. These pawls would, through centrifugal force,
disengage from the starting mechanism once the engine was running.



This second photo clearly shows the jockey pulley opening and the gap
where the spring and ratchet wheel assembly were once located.



This smaller photo shows the handle brackets for folding the handle.
A spanner would have been required for this operation.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART FIVE - Provenance
Provenance - the story told through an evidence trail - is all important
in research. The startling claim by the seller that this was a prototype
to a project that was ended (because the design didn't work) needs to be
explored and recorded.

The buyer of the 2016 machine shown above was respected collector and
restorer Alwil (ODK member name). His enquiries revealed that the seller
purchased the machine in 2003 and the seller restored the machine in 2004.
The seller had made his own enquiries at the time and made contact with an
ex-factory supervisor. The supervisor told him the mower was a failed
prototype from a cancelled project that was sold as a 'second'.

I find this story highly credible but with serious reservation.
There are two points that need to be made about this. The first is that a
similar machine was offered for sale at auction in 2012.



This machine was sold simply as a Champion Senior lawnmower, but a
closer inspection revealed the unique jockey wheel setup on the base
(in the same position as the 2016 machine). The 2012 mower had been
crudely restored, but it also had the same type of handle hinge brackets.



It is highly unlikely the 2012 and 2016 machines were the same particular
lawnmower, given the statements made by the 2016 seller. I feel this is
credible - but therein lays the problem - It is evidence that goes against
the claim this was a prototype of an abandoned project. Two similar
prototypes would have to be considered unlikely ... but not impossible.

The second point I make is that I have presented clear evidence that this
was not a failed project at all. Many advertising records testify that the
kick-start Champion Senior was a production machine, advertised not just
for a season, but from late 1957 to, at least, early 1960!

A reading of the patent reveals that the Champion system attempted to
overcome the cumbersome and expensive systems previously used. But the
Champion system would itself be aced by a newer American invention ...
the Impulse starters - that dominated the 1960s lawnmower scene in this
country. These were compact, simple, reliable, and cheaply manufactured
and fitted.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART SIX - Comment
So ... what do we make of all of this?

The advertisements suggest that this was, not only a production machine,
but the kick-start Champion was advertised widely and over a long period.
I have shown two particular adverts here - from late 1957 and 1960 - where
the kick-start was advertised. This does not suggest, at all, a failed
project or design.

I feel (as speculation) that these two recorded machines (from 2012 and
2016) were not prototypes but now incomplete production machines. Bits
have been removed. Why?

There are two possibilities:
[1] The design had in-service issues.
Here, the design was sound but suffered from longer term failures in service.
It may be that dirt or grass ingress fouled the mechanism, particularly the
pawl arrangement contained within the blade holder. The solution here was
the removal of components and the reverting to the back-up - the pulley
and lanyard system.

This design failure is not un-precedented. Very few intact Victa Automatics
survive - with key Predicta parts having been removed in service in the
early years.

[2] Parts Availability
It appears that Champion Mowers stopped trading in the early 1960s.
With that advent there would have arisen the issue of spare parts availability.
If the Champion kick-start system failed it may be that non-availability of
spare parts meant option B - removal of the system, and return the machine to
the manual pulley and lanyard system (as in possibility 1 above).

Either possibility may explain the lack of evidence for the Champion kick-start
machines today. They were clearly sold - but where are they? I am convinced that
some intact machines are 'out there'...

As to whether the 2012 and 2016 Champion mowers discussed here were prototypes
will have to remain an open question. I have argued here that they are incomplete
production machines rather than prototypes, but that is speculation based on
arguments presented here.

The rest is history.
---------------------------
Jack

CHAMPION MOWERS: Who Were They?
FANS and WHEELS

AUS ROTARY MOWERS with KICK STARTERS:
ATOM MOFAST
AUSTRAL-VILLIERS ADAPTOMATIC
SCOTT BONNAR SPINCUT


Would you like to comment on the Champion kick-start lawnmower?
Simply create a new topic in the Old Soap Box HERE.